Sabres News

81 SABRES GAMES AVAILABLE IN HD THIS SEASON

by
Staff Writer
/ Buffalo Sabres

In order to view this page you need JavaScript and Flash Player 9+ support!

The Buffalo Sabres and MSG Networks (MSG/MSG Plus) today announced that 81 of the team’s 82 regular season games will be televised in High Definition. MSG Networks will be the home to 72 broadcasts this season and these games will also be distributed by MSG in HD. Buffalo’s home game on December 21 against Anaheim will not be seen on TV as it falls during an exclusive Versus broadcast window.

The Sabres also announced today that their preseason game on Tuesday, September 28 against Ottawa will be aired on MSG at 7:30 p.m. The game will take place in Dundas, Ont., as part of the annual Hockeyville celebration.

Buffalo will appear eight times on Versus (all in HD), and once on NBC as part of the network’s regional Hockey Day in America coverage on February 20 versus Washington. The Sabres also appear on NBC’s flex schedule for two games: January 23 at NY Islanders, and March 6 at Minnesota. Both games are currently scheduled to air on MSG.

Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale return to call the action for MSG Networks’ telecasts. Currently the longest-tenured broadcaster in hockey, the 2010-11 season marks Jeanneret's 39th year with the Sabres. This will be Neale’s fourth year on the Sabres broadcast crew, after joining the team at the start of the 2007-08 season.

A trio of broadcasters will step into the booth when Jeanneret takes a pair of scheduled vacations this season. Mark Jeanneret, the son of Rick Jeanneret and play-by-play voice of the AHL’s Portland Pirates, will call the action on December 27 (at Calgary) and December 28 (at Edmonton). MSG host Kevin Sylvester returns to the booth for a fourth season when he fills in for four games: January 1 (vs. Boston), January 4 (at Colorado), January 6 (at San Jose) and January 8 (at Phoenix). These four games will also feature a three-man booth, as Rob Ray moves upstairs to join Sylvester and Neale. Dan Dunleavy will handle play-by-play duties on January 25 in Ottawa. Dunleavy is a sportscaster for the FAN 590 in Toronto, and also does play-by-play for the World Junior Hockey Championship on the FAN Radio Network across Canada.

Once again this season, the Lexus Postgame Show hosted by Kevin Sylvester, featuring highlights and exclusive interviews can be seen following every MSG Networks broadcast. The Lexus Shootout can be seen following every Sabres home telecast on MSG. Originating from Studio 200 at HSBC Arena, host Kevin Sylvester will be joined by Rob Ray and Mike Robitaille for complete post-game analysis and player interviews. The first intermission of each MSG telecast is sponsored by Verizon, and the second is sponsored by Northtown Automotive.

Radio coverage of all 82 regular season Sabres games will be simulcast by Sports Radio WGR AM 550, and online at www.sabres.com.